Industry News

The Ontario government has taken additional steps to protect people and property during the wildland fire season, including an increase in base funding for emergency forest firefighting by $30.2 million, and ensuring safety measures are in place to protect Ontario's highly trained fire rangers from COVID-19. On May 16, 2020, Ontario is lifting the Restricted Fire Zone (RFZ) designation that was put in place last month across Ontario's fire region.  The province will continue to assess fore...

Rosenbauer America is donating 24,000 KN95 facemasks to first responders as a thank you for their dedication through the COVID-19 pandemic. The facemasks will be distributed to fire departments across the United States and Canada. “Our communities rely on first responders answering calls for service; we need to protect their health and safety,” said John Slawson, Chairman and CEO of Rosenbauer America. “COVID-19 is personal; the virus literally follows responders home, subseq...

National Drowning Prevention Week has started, which will see Avon Fire and Rescue Service (AF&RS) focus on helping people stay safe around water in line with the Government’s guidance and restrictions that remain in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The dedicated week of action runs from April 20 to April 26 and is led by the National Fire Chiefs’ Council (NFCC) and supported by fire and rescue services all over the UK. During the week messages will be shared on AF&R...

Euralarm released a Communiqué with recommendations on updating national Codes (like a Building Code, Fire Code, etc.) when new Standards become available. The development of new or revized standards follows a certain process that is finalized with the ratification of the standard by the standardization body (CEN, CENELEC, …).  Following the ratification there are dates that the new or revized standard is available, announced and published followed by a date that the former s...

Avon Fire & Rescue Service (AF&RS) warns against deliberate fires after several callouts since lockdown began.    Despite the current government guidance on staying at home to help alleviate the Coronavirus pandemic, AF&RS continues to be called to mindless cases of arson that put both crews and the community in danger.  Since the start of the government’s stay at home directive on Monday 23rd March, crews have attended 58 deliberate fires across...

SSAIB were overcome with pride upon discovering that registered firm PLP Fire Protection have been providing invaluable assistance in the building of the Government’s first emergency field hospital at the ExCel in London. The temporary NHS Nightingale hospital has been set up to treat up to 4,000 coronavirus patients, with Dorset-based PLP Fire Protection helping to transform the ExCel exhibition space – which was due to host IFSEC International and FIREX International next month, be...

When it comes to the public fire brigades’ services, the equipment used is generally governed by a set of national regulatory and operational requirements that vary slightly between countries. However, it’s also important that the private fire crews within airports, ports, oil and gas and petrochemical installations also conform to fire safety guidelines within their specific industries. Among these essential safety measures that must be adhered, is ensuring that the communication t...

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue is advising businesses to review fire risk assessments following the Prime Minister’s announcement to restrict movement and close businesses.  "The fire safety measures within buildings are designed for their specific use and often do not include people sleeping. It may therefore not have the necessary fire safety measures installed to make this a safe practice," said Fire Safety Lead Matt White.  Isolating electric items  The advice comes af...

The Institute of Fire Safety Managers Incorporating Life Safety Managers (IFSM) has received a few queries asking if fire risk assessors and those linked with the fire industry are classed as ‘key workers.’  The Institute’s clear position is in supporting the Government and the main information and guidance for employees and employers is set out on the Governments website, including definitions of ‘key workers.’  Future of fire risk assessment  The...

During the national emergency, many in the Fire Sector will be concerned regarding what work should or shouldn’t go ahead.  The government advice is most importantly to all “Stay Home-Stay Safe-Protect the NHS”. This is for an initial three-week period as all play their part by limiting contact with others to reduce the virus’s opportunity to spread. There are exceptions which have raised multiple questions within the wider sector.  Key worker status  Th...

Hochiki Europe, a renowned manufacturer of life safety solutions, has partnered with the FIA (Fire Industry Association) to host a roundtable discussing best practice when it comes to life safety in Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs). Panelists were made up of professionals involved throughout the life safety procurement chain, including representatives from the manufacturing, facilities management, consultancy/specification and installation sectors, as well as the FIA itself. selecting emerge...

Recently, James Brokenshire, Minister of State for Security at the Home Office stated, “Security and fire safety personnel can play a vital role at this time of national challenge. People working in these sectors who are essential to national infrastructure are ‘key workers’ for the purposes of the Government’s guidance on COVID-19.”  While the Fire Industry Association is continually seeking further clarification from the Government on the issue, Ian Moore, C...